Mace

Description

Mace, widely known as Javitri in South Asia, is a highly aromatic sibling to nutmeg. In fact, they are literal neighbors from the exact same fruit. As we discovered when looking at jaiphal, both spices originate from a single tree: the evergreen Myristica fragrans. When the yellow, peach-like fruit splits open on the branch, it reveals a hard inner nutmeg shell encased in a striking, bright crimson, lacy web. This delicate, rubbery web is known botanically as an aril. It is carefully peeled away by hand in one piece and sun-dried, during which it hardens and shifts to a vibrant golden-orange or yellowish-brown hue, taking the form of javitri blades.